Spring Grove was the residence
of Rene Peyre. He was twice married. Rene Peyre's first wife was Ann Cantey,
sister of Mrs. John Peyre, who married Peter Sinkler afterwards. His second
wife, Hannah Simons, was the mother of Francis Peyre, and of Anne, who
married Thomas Ashby. Francis Peyre, who succeeded his father on
this place, married Catharine, daughter of Peter Sinkler, of Lifeland.
Their children were: Elizabeth, who married Charles Sinkler, and after
his death, Thomas Ashby; Anne, the ivife of Stephen G. Deveaux; Catharine,
wife of Dr. Theodore Gaillard; Florida, wife of Isaac M. Dwight. Their
son Francis married Mary, daughter of Col. Thomas Porcher of Ophir. After
Mrs. Peyre's death, Mr. Peyre married Mary Peyre, daughter of Thomas Walter,
the botanist. Their children were: Isabella, who married Dr. William Porcher;
Thomas Walter and Hannah Ashby, both of whom died unmarried. Thomas Walter
Peyre succeeded his father as proprietor of Spring Grove, and resided on
it for some years; he afterwards removed to Brunswick, in St. John's, and
spent his summers in Pinopolis in the same parish, where he died in I85I.
His virtues were celebrated in the sketch of Craven County, published in
the Southern Quarterly Review, and I shall not dwell on them here.
With him died the name of Peyre. The descendants of that once numerous
and respected family exist only in the female line. His plantation is now
owned by H. R. Banks, Esq., of Charleston.